A wide variety of types of structures for disposable absorbent articles used to collect body fluids are known in the art. Commercial absorbent articles include diapers, adult incontinence products, catamenials and bandages. Disposable products of this type comprise components for receiving, absorbing and retaining fluids. Typically, such articles include a liquid permeable topsheet, an absorbent core and a liquid impermeable backsheet.
Improving the performance of absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins continues to be a formidable undertaking, although a number of improvements have been made in both their materials and structures. A number of efforts have been directed to providing sanitary napkins with the ability to remain in contact with the wearer's body and to acquire bodily exudates immediately upon leaving the body and then to distribute the exudates throughout the absorbent core of the napkin.
Examples of such sanitary napkins are disclosed in PCT International Publication Nos.: WO 93/01779 and WO 93/02251 which disclose sanitary napkins employing fibers having intra-fiber capillary channels (which may be referred to herein as the "Capillary Channel Fiber" patent applications); and in the following pending U.S. Patent Applications which were filed on Jul. 23, 1992: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/915,202, entitled "Curved, Shaped Absorbent Article" filed in the name of Theresa L. Johnson, et al. (PCT Publication No. WO 93/01781); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/915,285, entitled "Absorbent Article Having Resilient Center" filed in the name of Thomas W. Osborn, et al. (PCT Publication No. WO 93/01782); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/915,201, entitled "Absorbent Article Fastener Pattern" filed in the name of Robb E. Olsen, et al. (PCT Publication No. WO 93/01783); and, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/915,134, entitled "Method of Making Curved, Shaped Absorbent Article" filed in the name of Letha M. Hines, et al. (PCT Publication No. WO 93/01784) which disclose the use of capillary channel fibers that may be arranged in the form of a tufted bundle (or "bun") on a curved, body-shaped absorbent article (and, as a result may be referred to herein as the "Curved Bun" patent applications); and in WO 93/01785 and WO 93/01786 which disclose extensible and stretchable sanitary napkins; all of which are incorporated by reference herein.
In one preferred embodiment described in the "Capillary Channel Fiber" and "Curved Bun" patent applications, the capillary channel fibers are formed into a tufted bundle that is pulled through a confining slit in a sheet of material. The sheet of material having the confining slit retains the bun in its tufted configuration. The bun provides a rounded or curved surface for placement adjacent the space between the wearer's labia.
The sanitary napkins described in these patent publications work quite well. There are, however, some aspects of the sanitary napkins that are described in these publications that can be improved. For example, it is desirable to provide a sanitary napkin with an alternative structure to a tufted bundle that is pulled through a confining slit in a sheet of material due to the complexities of carrying out such an operation during manufacture of the sanitary napkin. Therefore, the search for improved, as well as alternative, sanitary napkins (particularly to those described in the "Capillary Channel Fiber" and "Curved Bun" patent applications) has continued.
A need exists for a sanitary napkin that is at least as unobtrusive and comfortable to wear as those described in the "Capillary Channel Fiber" and "Curved Bun" patent publications incorporated by reference above. In addition, a need exists for a sanitary napkin that is at least as easy to construct, or preferably even easier to construct, as those sanitary napkins described in the above "Capillary Channel Fiber" and "Curved Bun" patent publications.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide disposable absorbent articles having the ability to acquire bodily exudates immediately upon leaving the body and then to distribute the exudates throughout the absorbent core of the article.
It is another object of the present invention to provide absorbent articles that are at least as unobtrusive and comfortable to wear as those described in the "Capillary Channel Fiber" and "Curved Bun" patent publications incorporated by reference above.
It is another object of the present invention to provide absorbent articles having the above characteristics which are easily and inexpensively manufactured.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more readily apparent when considered in reference to the following description and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.